Experts share safety tips as school begins in Montgomery County

The halls of Plymouth Whitemarsh High School fill with students again Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, as the school holds orientation for 313 incoming freshman. The new students received a tour of the school, found their lockers, met their teachers, had a brief run through of their class schedule and had a chance to sign up for one of the school’s more than 200 extracurricular activities. Submitted Photo.

NORRISTOWN — Those big yellow buses will begin their yearly routes Tuesday, shuttling school children to school and home again. As students embark on their daily journeys for knowledge, AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety, the Mid-Atlantic Foundation for Safety and Education, and local school districts have put together materials providing information on how the rest of the community can help children stay safe.

Materials can be found on AAA’s website, which has downloadable and distributable tip-cards with such titles as “School Bus Safety,” “Parents: Avoid Becoming a Traffic Hazard,” and “The Safest Route to School.” Montgomery County school districts have also mailed out bus-stop location reminders and set up transportation websites that provide parents and residents with information on traffic and bus safety.

As the school year begins, drivers are asked to keep the following tips in mind:

— Limit distractions like cellphones and other devices;

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— Decrease speed through school and residential zones; remember those flashing speed limit lights are installed for a reason

— Obey school bus traffic laws that require you to stop as students load and unload

— Turn on headlights during the day and use caution in adverse weather conditions

Students are reminded of the following:

— Obey crossing guards, safety patrols, and all traffic signals

— Always cross in crosswalks and at corners

— Watch for cars and never pass between parked cars

Local students everywhere are gearing up for school; everyone can help by gearing up for safety.